Chapter 1.20: Come Back Safe

     Cerulean left the day after their pregnancy announcement to their families.  He continued his search with help from Mags and Viridian but he was stopping at home less and less, choosing to focus on his search in the hopes he could get it over with.  Rachael supported him but in the last two months he had been home for a total of six days and the last visit was over two weeks ago.  She was beginning to fell like she wasn't married at all.

     Rachael was up early cooking eggs and bacon for breakfast when Rebecca walked through the kitchen to the refrigerator.  Opening it up she pulled out one of the frozen pastries and popped it into the microwave.

     "If you'll just wait another ten minutes, I'll have breakfast done," Rachael said from the stove.

     "Don't want it," Rebecca responded.

     Rachael shook her head at Rebecca's breakfast, "that can't be all that healthy, Becks.  Eat some eggs too."

     Rebecca glared at Rachael before yelling, "I don't want any of your eggs Ray.  Just leave me alone."

     Rachael was taken aback by the verbal attack and before she could say anything Rebecca got up and left the room.

     Ochre, who eating left over garlic noodles and sitting at the island, watched Rebecca storm out before turning back to Ray.  His brows were raised, asking in his own way What was that about?

     Rachael sat next to him in Rebecca's vacated seat and propping her head on her hand said, "I have no idea."


     Deciding it was time to talk to Mags and see if they could get Lean to come home for even a short time, Rachael headed over to her house that afternoon.

     "Hey Ray, I didn't hear from him last night," Mags said.  "Jeez, you are getting big," she continued eyeing Rachael's stomach.

     "Thanks ever so much for stating the obvious," Rachael said dryly rolling her eyes.

     While rolling her eyes Mags leaned over to rub Rachael's stomach, "Just ignore your mommy now honey.  She's just a little grouchy over your daddy being gone for work."

     "With good reason Mags.  He hasn't been home in two weeks."

     "I know," Mags said opening the door for Rachael, "but there are so many sightings turning up across the nation he has to keep traveling to do the footwork.  As it is we've enlisted three of our cousins that do the same type of work to help out."

     "Has there been any progress made in tracking down the escapee?"

     "We know where they aren't and we're getting closer and closer to finding them," Mags looked at Rachael solemnly then rubbed her arm before passing her into the kitchen, "I know it's hard but it will end at some point."

     "I just hope it ends the way we want it to," Rachael murmured quietly.

     "What," Mags asked.

     Rachael just shook her head without answering and sat at the dining table.

     "The water's just starting to boil.  Are you going to stay for dinner?" she asked.

     "No. I have to go and cook for the kids," Rachael said

     "Why can't Rebecca or Patrick cook for the night?"

     "Patrick is hopeless with a stove and Rebecca..." Rachael trailed off for a moment, "hopefully it's just a phase she's going through but she's becoming a terror."

     "What do you mean?"

     "She's not doing her school assignments, she's skipping classes and when she does go she acts up in class and back talks her teachers.  She's hanging out with some new kids from school and from what I've overheard when she's on the phone with them, they are not going to be a good influence on her.

     "When Rhidian or I try to talk to her she yells at us. River and Ochre are pretty much ignored all the time. Patrick talks with her but he hasn't told me what they talk about, says it's between him and Becks, and I respect that, I just don't know what we should be doing with her."

     Mags sighed, "that's rough."

     Rachael watcher her as Mags averted her eyes and chewed on her lips, obviously considering something.  She waited curious what Mags was going to say.

     "Look, I can't contact Lean very often but he is due to check in with me in the next couple of days.  How about I call him now and let you talk to him for a bit," Rachael remained silent because the hesitation in Mags voice said she was thinking very carefully about the offer and possibly revoking it but she continued, "I haven't said it because he doesn't want me to worry you but it's obvious to me that he has been missing you and I think getting to talk to you might cheer him up."

     Mags stood up and gestured with her head for Rachael to follow her.

     Rachael stood up and walked through the red doors behind the stairs she had never been through before.  The room they entered was windowless.  There were two desks, a monitor on the wall between them and wide bookshelf full of books.  It was obviously a space used for work rather than recreation.

     "What is this?" Rachael asked.

     "This is nothing cuz you were never here," Mags said, "but we call it HQ.  I work from here.  That's Lean's desk when he's here," she added pointing towards the other computer.

     "It doesn't look like it would be his desk," Rachael said, "and doesn't he still have his computer upstairs?"

     "He had Viridian pick out the desk before our move," Mags smirked over her shoulder, "and the computer upstairs is just a decoy."

     Rachael chuckled at that before walking up behind Mags.  Looking over her shoulder she saw strings and strings of numbers scroll across the screen as Mags fingers danced over the keyboard.

     "What are you doing?"

     "Setting up a secure connection through the subnet. It will give the two of you time to talk without having to worry about someone tracing you."

     "Alright we're set up.  Now we just have to wait for Lean to pick up."

     Within a few moments there was a beep from the computer.  Mags clicked something with the mouse and a new window opened with Cerulean's face on the screen.

     "What's up Mags," he started then saw Rachael over her shoulder, "Ray?  You're in HQ?"

     "Yeah.  And thanks for letting me in on that secret.  Just how many more do you have?" she asked trading seats with Mags.  Mags left the room closing the door behind her.

     "Only one left now," he said, "but I really can't go into it over this line.  I'll tell you everything when I get home okay."

     "When are you coming back?" Rachael asked.

     "Soon.  I've run through the last leads I had here.  There are sightings in one more city I need to investigate before I can return so maybe one week."

     Rachael closed her eyes and looked down.  "Okay."

     "Is everything okay at home?"

     "Not really, but I'm handling it.  We'll talk more when you come back.  Just come back safe okay."

     "I'm doing my best.  I love you Ray."

     "Love you too."

                                                                               

Random Ramblings

   I'm going to begin now by saying I am not computer savvy in the least.  I can do an internet search and play sims but that's about it.  I don't know if the 'subnet' or any such thing really exists outside of tv or stories and I give those a lot of skepticism to begin with.

   It basically sounded good for the story so I am taking writer's privilege and using it.